In an early morning vote Friday, the U.S. Senate approved funding for President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations, concluding weeks of political standoffs and intense opposition to a controversial settlement fund that nearly blocked the measure.
Additionally, Trump announced Thursday that federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, whom he selected as acting director of national intelligence, will not serve as his “permanent” selection for this crucial security role after lawmakers from both parties criticized Pulte’s limited national security background in recent days.
Employment data released Friday by the Labor Department showed job creation decreased modestly last month compared to a revised figure of 179,000 positions added in April. The jobless rate remained steady at a low 4.3%.
The employment sector has shown signs of improvement this year following a challenging 2025, demonstrating resilience despite elevated energy costs and growing economic instability after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran in late February.
Employment gains have rebounded this year after a difficult 2025, displaying surprising resilience amid economic uncertainty and severely high energy costs resulting from the Iran conflict.
The previous occasion when Washington, D.C., voters selected both a new congressional delegate and mayor in a single election cycle, gasoline cost $1.33 per gallon and George H.W. Bush occupied the White House.
This autumn, they will repeat this process under dramatically different conditions.
With the city approaching crucial primary elections this month to select nominees for these positions, President Trump’s impact on the nation’s capital is emerging as a significant campaign topic. The new group of candidates is considering the best strategy for dealing with Trump’s Republican administration and congressional oversight of the predominantly Democratic city’s operations.
“It’s going to be a big sea change in city politics, no matter how the elections shake out,” said Amanda Huron, a professor at the University of the District of Columbia who teaches courses on D.C. history and politics. But Washington’s lack of full autonomy brings “all sorts of peculiarities around the city’s governance.”
Trump, who has long supported the New York Knicks, announced his intention to attend an NBA Finals match at Madison Square Garden next week following an invitation from the team’s owner.
Calling himself a “big fan” of both the team and owner James Dolan, Trump revealed Thursday that he will attend at least one game next week. The NBA considers this would mark the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game.
“The answer is yes — he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump said regarding Dolan’s invitation. While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump indicated he was considering Game 3 on Monday but didn’t eliminate Game 4 on Wednesday. “Maybe I’ll do both.”
Trump, who is managing a war in Iran, congressional tensions, and approaching midterm elections, mentioned he ensured he watched portions of Game 1 on Wednesday when the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs and gained a 1-0 series advantage.
Water started flowing back into the recently restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Thursday, Trump revealed from the Oval Office.
During an unrelated event, Trump displayed a video showing water flowing into the newly painted basin located at the base of the Lincoln Memorial.
“That’s clean, beautiful water,” the president stated.
Live footage displayed water collecting in the basin’s center, with workers and vehicles still present inside the pool area.
Trump mentioned the project to paint the shallow basin in a dark color, which he refers to as “American flag blue,” was finished Wednesday. The administration indicated in a legal document that the pool would be completely filled with water by Sunday at the latest.
Trump also revealed plans to construct a “promenade” that would enable visitors to walk from behind the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River.
Trump stated Thursday that federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, his selection for acting director of national intelligence, will not become his “permanent” choice for this vital security position.
The Republican president’s announcement that he was eliminating Pulte from permanent consideration followed bipartisan criticism on Capitol Hill recently regarding Pulte’s insufficient national security credentials. The role requires Senate approval, which legislators suggested was improbable if Pulte became the official nominee.
“He’s not going to be permanent because, you know, I don’t think he’d want to be permanent,” Trump stated while answering questions in the Oval Office following a coal-related event. He described Pulte as a “very smart guy” and mentioned he might examine previous elections that Trump alleges, without reliable proof, were “rigged” against him.
The Senate approved measures to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement operations early Friday, following weeks of postponements and intense opposition to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that nearly prevented the bill’s passage.
Lawmakers voted 52-47 to approve the $70 billion measure funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three years, extending through Trump’s term, after Democrats had prevented the funding for months. The legislation will now proceed to the House, which is anticipated to consider it next week.
The final vote occurred just before 5 a.m., after Republicans narrowly rejected several attempts by members from both parties to include provisions in the bill that would permanently prohibit Trump’s settlement fund for supporters who claim they’ve faced political persecution.
